You can’t beat a good blend, Dunville’s 1808, 40%, Irish Whiskey

I always enjoy a blind tasting.

Stripped of any clues as to what’s before you it heightens your senses to the tastes & flavours experienced on drinking the liquid.

Presented before me were 6 samples. I duly poured them into 6 identical Túath glasses & proceeded to savour the contents.

For some reason I thought this was a rum tasting – & quickly revised this theory as No 1 ‘despite having a bit of a sour nose the lack of body on the palate & high ABV kick signalled to me a poitín! Can’t say it did much for me. Nice experience – but not an approachable spirit’.

There was no No 2 so No 3 ‘proved intriguing. The pale yellow colour, soft fruity nose, easy palate with slight hints of burnt notes on the rear drew me in. I could drink this one again!’.

With No 4 ‘I experienced a slightly musty nose, indicative of long ageing, perfectly fine palate yet lacked a bit of body & very dry on the rear. Rather nonplussed by this one’.

No 5 ‘had a sherry like influence, smooth & silky on the palate with a nice touch of dryness on the rear. Could be a low ppm peater? Not quite enough to excite me if it is’.

No 6 ‘initially blew me away! Suggestive of high ABV. On a 2nd tasting it still didn’t entice me’.

No 7 ‘kinda hooked me, if only for a more pronounced smoky influence. Elegant yet challenging all at the same time’.

So that was it! My initial thoughts are in italics.

Samples 3 & 7 stood out for me in this selection.

So what were they?

Photo courtesy Irish Drink Shop

3 – Dunville’s 1808, Blended Irish Whiskey, 40%

What can I say? A very pleasant easy drinker with enough depth of character to keep me coming back for more.

Photo courtesy Whisky Exchange

7 – Smögen 100 Proof, 6 Year Old, Swedish Single Malt, 57.1%

A heavy peater finished in oloroso casks at a challenging high ABV. Think I’d have enjoyed this one more at 46% without the oloroso finish myself.

And the others?

1 – Black’s Single Pot New Make, 63.5%

4 – Jamesons Black Barrel Proof, Blend, 50%

5 – High Coast, Dálvve Sherry Influence, Swedish Single Malt, 48%

A light peater with 50/50 bourbon/sherry influence. A bit of a let down from the original high peater Box Dálvve I enjoyed at Gothenberg Airport here.

6 – Bushmills Causeway Collection, 2008 Muscatel Casks, Single Malt, 56.4%

Given that Smögen is a bit of a unicorn bottle – hard to get hold of, pricey & limited edition – as are some of the other bottles – I think Dunville’s 1808 performed extremely well on my palate.

I took away a few themes from this tasting. High ABV can blow away the flavours for me & make for a challenging drinking experience. Sherry cask influence isn’t my style of choice & when it comes to enjoyable, affordable drinking – you can’t beat a good blend!

What would your palate have chosen?

Sláinte

Many thanks to fellow Whiskey Blogger S for the blind samples & bottle photo.

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Old Horseshoe Straight Kentucky Bourbon Whiskey, 70 Proof

Well here’s one that almost got away!

I’ve taken to hosting ‘Whiskey By The Water’ tasting evenings in one of my local bars.

The water being the Shannon & the bar Sean’s.

It’s a way of sharing my growing drinks cabinet that would be folly of me to consume on my own.

Old Horseshoe is an Aldi brand from an un-named source.

The 70 Proof is a throwback to the Sikes system of alcohol strength as used in the UK until the 1980’s – they might yet go back to it after leaving Europe.

Deep brown in colour with viscous legs.

I’m getting a classic high-rye bourbon style of nose from Old Horseshoe – very reminiscent of Four Roses.

Quite a dry mouthfeel.

The dry peppery nuttiness is long lasting.

A lovely drop.

Sláinte

Sean’s Bar website here.

Discover The Shannon website here.

Old Horseshoe Aldi website here.

Sikes proof system explanation here.

Drombeg ‘Light’ Whiskey 22%?

Given that both Whyte & MacKay

c/oMasterOfMalt

and Ballantine’s

c/oChivas

have brought out ‘light’ versions of their whisky

c/oTheWhiskeyNut

is Drombeg the 1st Irish version of this lower ABV trend?

Sláinte

Luzhou Laojiao Zisha Daqu, Baijiu, 52%

Well the whole presentation is a bit of a performance!

Delightful packaging c/othewhiskeynut

Red cloth wrapped around a clay pot!

At 52% – this baijiu is a bit of a performance too.

‘Strong Aroma’ it says on the box – & it does exactly as stated – in a very pleasing way.

Strong Aroma c/othewhiskeynut

An enticing savoury, meaty umami type of thing going on.

The high ABV pack a punch – but doesn’t over power.

The EU/China trade agreement has opened the door for Irish Whiskey exports to China – as well as Baijiu imports to Ireland.

I’m certainly enjoying exploring the fruits of that deal!

Ganbei

I purchased my Baijiu from Asia Market, Dublin.

Johnnie Walker, Irish Whiskey & The Coffey Still.

The iconic ‘Striding Man’ logo gracing bottles of Johnnie Walker Whisky is an apt inspiration for the title of this very highly researched & entertaining book by Nicholas Morgan.

A Striding Man c/othewhiskeynut

Boldly striding across the centuries Johnnie Walker has witnessed many ups & downs as well as twists & turns within the whisky industry.

Originating in 1820 from a Kilmarnock grocers shop specializing in blending tea, Johnnie Walker went on to take full advantage of the Coffey Still to blend whisky.

The book, the whisky & the glass. c/othewhiskeynut

By 1878 the business was expanding massively to cater for demand while both the Highland Malt & the big 4 Dublin Whisky Distilleries mounted a campaign to prevent ‘silent spirit’ being labelled as whisky.

Truths About Whiskey 1878 c/othewhiskeynut

By 1890 Scotch was outselling Irish – up until then the biggest & most reputable whisky sold worldwide – and has done so ever since.

The book chronicles that period of growth for Scotch – blended whisky in particular – as well as many other escapades the Striding Man encountered along the way

A Long Stride is a wonderful read for anyone wishing to grasp the historical complexities & choices made by previous generations that currently shape the whisky industry today.

A rollercoaster of a read. c/othewhiskeynut

It certainly makes me ponder how decisions being made now – often echoing those of the past – will shape the future.

Whatever tomorrow brings the Striding Man – & latterly Striding Woman – will certainly be found playing a key role.

Sláinte

Bacardí Reserva Ocho, Rare Gold Rum, 40%, Puerto Rico

Bacardí Ocho is one of those rums whiskey drinkers can easily appreciate.

Bacardi Ocho c/othewhiskeynut

A dark sweetness of butterscotch & toffee on the nose.

Soft & smooth palate replete with heavy fruits & a touch of nuttiness.

Growing woody spiciness from 8 years in oak barrels add some flair to the long finish.

Label info c/othewhiskeynut

An easy going sipper of a rum found widely in stores around Ireland.

Sláinte

Fubá Cachaca, 40%

‘Hand crafted in small batches‘ it says on the bottle.

Small Batch Brazil c/othewhiskeynut

Clear colourless unaged cachaca from Brazil.

Quite a pronounced sugarcane grassiness on the nose.

Easy & oily mouthfeel.

Slowly warms the palate with a certain juiciness coming through.

Fubá c/othewhiskeynut

Hints of peppery spice on the finish with a tasty tingling sensation rounding off this attractive spirit.

Available in Ireland from the Intrepid Spirits range.

Saúde

Liberté White Rum, 37.5%, Réunion.

I thought Liberté was a yoghurt brand with TV adverts from a few years ago?

Yet here in my local Lidl was a simple & sparsely labelled bottle of white rum bearing the same name.

Liberté Rum c/othewhiskeynut

Liberté is a nod to the French connection that still exists on the tiny island of Réunion in the Indian Ocean.

There are 3 rum distilleries operating on Rèunion; Isautier, Rivière Du Mât & Savanna – take your pick as to the source.

I like it neat myself. c/othewhiskeynut

A clear colourless rum with distinctively fat oily legs.

A very soft mild & mellow nose didn’t give much away – but there was a suggestion of overripe fruits glimpsing through.

Extremely easy on the palate – slightly oily mouthfeel with a gently warming heat.

Letting it linger gradually opens up those funky fruit flavours – not overpowering – just pleasantly attractive – followed by a touch of tingling spice adding some flair to this endearing rum.

The 300 year history of rum distilling on Réunion is quietly imprinted on this charmingly beguiling Liberté White Rum.

Ship ahoy! c/othewhiskeynut

It floats my boat!

Slàinte

 

Locke’s Irish Whiskey, Blend, 40%

This delightfully enjoyable blend almost passed me by.

Locke’s Irish Whiskey c/othewhiskeynut

Released under John Teeling’s tenure at Kilbeggan Distillery – it now seems to have slipped from the current line up of new owners Beam/Suntory.

For the greater part of it’s history the distillery at Kilbeggan went by various names. Originally called Brusna Distillery in 1757 – after the river the waterwheel still turns from to this day – then Locke’s Distillery – after the Locke family who effectively ran the operation from 1843 until closure in 1958.

Brusna, Locke’s, Kilbeggan entrance c/othewhiskeynut

The distillery licence never expired during the following years. In turn this was acquired by John Teeling’s Cooley Distillery which opened in 1987 and resurrected the Locke’s brand – along with a few others.

Locke’s Distillery only ever produced pot still whiskey – which is perhaps one of many reasons for it’s demise – so ironically this miniature is a blended whiskey – using both grain & malt whiskeys combined together.

The Irish Whiskey Industry were rather late in embracing blended whiskey – over 130 years later than their Scottish counterparts – which also partly explains it’s collapse by the 1960’s.

So in it’s own way – Locke’s Blended Irish Whiskey was part of the revival. I’m glad to have stumbled on this miniature at The Old Stand in Mullingar.

Locke’s in a Túath Glass c/othewhiskeynut

The colour is light straw – but added caramel cannot be ruled out for this entry level blend.

A lovely soft malt greeted me on nosing. Sweet with just a little hint of turf.

The palate was soft, sweet & very smooth. Eminently approachable. Yet there is a slight suggestion of peat at the end to give it a bit of bite & character.

A decent afterglow wrapped up this extremely enjoyable drinking experience.

Well worth getting hold of if you come across a bottle.

Liquid history.

Sláinte.